Hovione Names Stefan Doboczky New CEO
Stefan Doboczky will take over operational leadership of the family-owned Portuguese pharmaceutical technology and services group on April 1, 2027.
Stefan Doboczky has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hovione since 2024, where he has been instrumental in shaping the company’s strategy and vision. He will step down as Chairman upon assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer.
Hovione announced on May 11, 2026, that CEO Jean Luc Herbeaux has decided to step down from his role, effective as of May 21, 2026. To facilitate a smooth transition, Herbeaux will continue with the company until September 30, 2026. Back then, the company appointed António Almeida (Chief Financial Officer) and Marco Gil (Senior VP Sales & Marketing) as co-Chief Executive Officers ad interim.
The appointment of Stefan Doboczky marks his return to the pharmaceutical industry. He spent more than 17 years at DSM, where he rose to become a member of the Executive Board responsible for the group’s global pharmaceutical portfolio and for its growth in Asia.
He subsequently spent 11 years as CEO of listed, private-equity-owned and corporate-owned industrial companies, including Lenzing, Heubach and Borealis. Following the combination of Borealis, Borouge and Nova Chemicals into Borouge International, he took on the role of Chief Commercial Officer and Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of the merged group. He will hand over these responsibilities to his successor on October 1, 2026 and remains available for six months to support the transition.
Stefan Doboczky holds a Master’s degree in technical chemistry and a doctorate in natural sciences, both from Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien), Austria, and an MBA from IMD, Lausanne, Switzerland.
The appointment follows a comprehensive succession process and reflects the company’s ambition to further strengthen its international position as a leading technology and service provider to pharmaceutical companies worldwide.
Guy Villax, Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Family Council, representing the company’s major shareholder, said: “We are very pleased that Stefan is taking on the operational leadership of Hovione. Having served as our Chairman, he has an in-depth understanding of the company, its culture and its people, and has co-shaped our strategic direction and priorities. His international experience, his commercial expertise and his proven capability to transform companies sustainably make him exceptionally well positioned to lead Hovione into its next phase of growth. That he is willing to move from the Board into the operating seat is a strong signal of his conviction in this company and in the opportunity ahead of it.”
Stefan Doboczky, Chief Executive Officer designate of Hovione, said: “I am honored to take on the role of CEO at Hovione and to move from my role as Chairman of the Board into the operational leadership of the company. In my two years as Chairman, I have come to see the remarkable potential of this organization, built on a very strong technology foundation, talented people and a genuine focus on patients. Returning to the pharmaceutical industry, where I spent the formative part of my career, and doing so as the CEO of a family-owned company with such a long-term horizon, is a unique opportunity. I thank the Board and the shareholders for their trust. I look forward to working closely with Hovione’s global leadership team and the Board to strengthen our international presence, drive innovation and create sustainable value for our customers, partners and shareholders.”
The Board also expressed its appreciation to Marco Gil and António Almeida for their ongoing leadership during the interim co-CEO period and for ensuring the continued successful execution of the company's strategy until Stefan joins as CEO.
Founded in 1959, Hovione is a family-owned pharmaceutical technology and services group serving the industry worldwide, with more than 2,600 employees, four FDA-inspected production and R&D sites in Europe, the United States and China, and internationally recognized technology leadership in spray drying and continuous tableting.
